Sex work research: methodological and ethical challenges

An article by  Shaver FM. in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2005; 20; 296.

It argues that the challenges involved in the design of ethical, non exploitative research projects with sex workers or any other marginalized population are significant.

First, the size and boundaries of the population are unknown, making it extremely difficult to get a representative sample. Second, because hidden populations are often involved in stigmatized or illegal behavior, concerns regarding privacy and confidentiality are paramount and difficult to resolve. In addition, they often result in challenges to the validity of the data. Third, in spite of evidence to the contrary, associations between sex work and victimization are still strong, dichotomies remain prevalent, and sex workers are often represented as a homogeneous population. This article provides several strategies for overcoming these challenges. Clear guidelines for ethical, non-exploitative methodologies are embedded in the solutions provided. (adapted from author)